What is Hormone Yoga?
The Brazilian Dinah Rodrigues created the type of yoga. She is a philosopher and psychologist. She has also written the book “Hormone Yoga”. Her approach: a holistic and rejuvenating technique that aims to reactivate the formation of female hormones in the ovaries, thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands through revitalizing exercises.
That is why Hormone Yoga is particularly suitable for women who are going through menopause. But Hormone Yoga can also help women in other phases of life – for example, with menstrual problems, with PMS, with an unfulfilled desire to have children or with cycle disorders.
To achieve effective results, Hormone Yoga focuses on the following elements:
- Dynamic asanas (physical exercises) accompanied by special pranayamas (breathing techniques) that produce an intense internal massage.
- Fiery pranayamas that act with emphasis on the abdominal region.
- Traditional techniques that ensure that energy is directed through the body.
What elements are important in hormone yoga?
Hormone yoga affects the physical and energetic body. The two are closely connected and form a single unit. The physical body is composed of skin, muscles, tendons and nerves, among other things. The energetic body is composed of energy centers (chakras) and a network of distribution points and channels through which energy circulates (nadis). As Dinah Rodrigues writes in her book, we usually identify only with the physical body.
Prana and Nadis
We receive prana through breathing. But it is not to be confused with oxygen. Rather, it is characterized by polarities: the solar and lunar energies. Their distinction: Solar energy activates our metabolism; lunar energy slows it down. The main sources of prana are, on the one hand, air, food and the sun. And on the other hand places in nature like lakes, forests or waterfalls.
To activate ovaries, thyroid gland, pituitary gland and adrenal glands in hormone yoga, prana plays an important role in their activating solar energy. To calm the nervous system of stressed people, on the other hand, the lunar energy serves.
Chakras
Behind chakras are energy centers. They store prana and distribute it to the different parts of the body to maintain health. But before they can distribute the energy, they have to transform it. Each chakra has its own vibrational frequency, which can be activated through certain exercises, concentration and mantras. If a chakra is blocked, the energy in the body can no longer flow freely. In this case, health problems can also occur.
- Muladhara
- Swadhistana
- Manipura
- Anahata
- Vishudha
- Ajna
- Sahasrara
Hormone Yoga during menopause
Hormone yoga, among other things, is designed to help women prepare for the time of menopause. This is because during this period of life, fewer female hormones are produced in the body. This leads to a number of different effects – including hot flashes, headaches or hair loss. The altered hormone balance also affects the psyche. Many women suffer from depression or inner turmoil. According to Dinah Rodrigues, hormone yoga can help to alleviate these symptoms.
According to a study she conducted with menopausal women, hormone yoga can increase hormone levels by 254 percent in four months – with daily practice. Dinah Rodrigues’ finding: most symptoms were eliminated, others were alleviated, and basically, well-being was restored.
How does Hormone Yoga work?
Directly after getting up is an optimal time for hormone yoga. If this is not possible, it makes sense to wait for an hour after breakfast or two hours after a normal meal. For Hormone Yoga to be effective, regularity is important. The yogini should plan half an hour per day for it.
Hormone Yoga is basically intended to rebalance the physiology of the hormones. Since the ovaries are closely connected to the hormonal function of the pituitary and thyroid glands, it is necessary to stimulate their activity as well. In addition, the adrenal glands should be activated. Therefore, the focus is on the following areas:
- Pituitary gland: located in the center of the skull
- Thyroid gland: located in the neck area
- Ovaries: are located laterally in the lower third of the abdomen
- Adrenal glands: located above the kidneys
These techniques are used to:
- Energizing and calming pranayamas
- Mudras – Bandhas – Mantras
- Static and dynamic asanas
- Techniques for moving and directing energy
- Relaxation exercises and Yoga Nidra
Pranayamas in Hormon Yoga
Yoga masters believe that a daily practice of various pranayamas maintains emotional balance. Through pranayamas it is possible to decrease or increase the number of heartbeats, lower blood pressure, change body temperature and stimulate digestion.
There are different types of breathing:
- Autonomic respiration: it occurs most of the time, especially when we sleep. It guarantees that the breathing process continues without interruption.
- Voluntary breathing: It allows us to breathe consciously, changing the rhythm, depth and duration of the breaths.
Both breathing techniques are used in yoga therapy to influence processes of the body that are controlled by the nervous system. By breathing consciously, we also control prana.
These breaths are used in hormone yoga:
- Lower breathing or abdominal breathing
- Middle breathing or thoracic breathing
- Upper breathing or collarbone breathing
- Complete breathing, alternate breathing (Sukha Purvak)
- Bellows breathing
- Liberating breathing
- Metabolic breathing
- Square pranayama
- Pranayama for weight loss
Mudras
Since some mudras also unite the nerve endings of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, they influence the function of the nervous system. In total, there are 58 classical mudras and other variations.
In Hormone Yoga, the following mudras are used:
- Relaxation mudra (Jnani mudra)
- Energizing Mudra (Prana Nadi Mudras)
- Venus Mudra
- Mudra K.D.
- Khecari Mudra (Tongue Mudra)
Bandhas
Bandhas are postures and contractions that the yogi performs to control the flow of prana. Three different bandhas are used in Hormone Yoga:
Jaladhara Bandha (stretching the neck area).
This bandha is done while holding the breath with full lungs. It activates the thyroid gland, causes a strong stretching of the neck area and energizes the brain.
Uddiyana Bandja (Pulling in the abdomen).
This bandha is about drawing in the abdomen. It controls the flow of prana, massages the internal abdominal organs, promotes detoxification and activates fiery energy.
Mulabandha (contraction of the sphincter)
Mantras and the effect of their vibrational frequencies
Mantras are sounds or words whose vibrational frequency has a certain effect on us. There are, among others, calming, vitalizing or meditative mantras. In Hormon Yoga, the vibrational frequency of some mantras is used to activate certain chakras or to affect the emotional state.
How Hormone Yoga works
Those who practice Hormon Yoga regularly can feel effects on different levels:
Physical level effect
- Strengthening of the muscles
- Posture correction
- Increase of flexibility and freedom of movement
- Body modeling
- Strengthening of bones
Effect on physiological level
- Activation of hormone production
- Reduction of the intensity of menopausal symptoms
- prevention of diseases caused by the hormonal decline
- Harmonization of the functions of the organism as a whole
Effect on the psychological level
- combating stress, depression and insomnia and other menopausal problems
Effect on energetic level
- Activation of the individual energy
- Improving the absorption and distribution of prana
- revitalization of the organs responsible for hormone production
For whom Hormone Yoga is suitable
In general, Hormone Yoga is recommended for women 35 years and older. Those who suffer from severe menstrual problems can also start earlier. According to Dina Rodrigues, it is important to keep in mind when doing hormone yoga: Women should refrain from it during menstruation and also if there is a physical disposition in which the increase in estrogen levels is not indicated. This may be the case with breast cancer or severe endometriosis. Also, if the exercises are difficult or cause pain, it is important to talk to a doctor about it.
Where is Hormone Yoga offered?
If you want to start with Hormone Yoga, you should first go to a class and have an instructor show you the exercises. Offers are available in yoga studios or in some cities at the adult education center. In addition, workshops and retreats are held all over the world with a focus on Hormone Yoga.
